COOK OF THE WEEK - AMANDA DANZL

By admin

Created 04/24/2013 - 7:31am

Amanda Danzl (left) is pictured with her parents, Tami and Jim.

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By Judy Konecne

This week’s cook is a relative newcomer to the Humboldt area. Amanda Danzl, the daughter of Jim and Tami Danzl, is a native of Manhattan, IL. She moved to Humboldt in October of 2012 and is a registered dietician at Humboldt County Memorial Hospital. A graduate of Vitebo University, La Crosse, WI, Amanda enjoys knitting, biking, spending time outside, and reading as well as cooking. She has no preferred menus, but enjoys cooking and eating a variety of foods.

Quinoa Salad
1-1/2 cups quinoa
3 cups low sodium vegetable
broth
1 large red onion, finely
chopped
1 large red bell pepper, cored,
deseeded, and chopped
1 large cucumber, peeled and
chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, stems
removed, chopped
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
6 red leaf lettuce leaves
In a colander, rinse the quinoa thoroughly and drain. In a medium size saucepan, bring the broth to a boil, stir in the quinoa, and return to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Let stand for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, onion, red bell pepper, cucumber and basil.
In a small bowl, combine the orange juice, vinegar, orange rind, salt and pepper. Whisk in the oil. Pour the dressing over the quinoa and toss well. Arrange each serving on the lettuce and garnish with pine nuts. Serves 6.
Here’s a tip:
Quinoa cooks up to 3 or 4 times its size, so plan accordingly with your pan size!
Here’s a trick:
Rinse, rinse, and then rinse again. This is how you remove the bitterness of quinoa before you cook it. Once cooked, the delicious nutty flavor emerges.

Southwest Stuffed Peppers
Filling:
1/2 pound lean ground turkey
1 can of black beans, rinsed and
drained
1 can of sweet corn, rinsed and
drained
1 large diced tomato
1 clove of garlic, minced
4 tablespoons of chopped onion
3 tablespoons of taco seasoning
1 tablespoon of cumin
1-2 tablespoons cilantro
Salt to taste
Peppers:
3 red bell peppers cut in half
lengthwise
1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon
shredded reduced-fat cheddar
cheese
1 tablespoon chopped green
onions
In a large skillet brown the turkey and season with salt. When the turkey is starting to brown, add taco seasoning, onion and garlic. When turkey is cooked through add your black beans, corn, cilantro, diced tomatoes, and cumin. Mix well and simmer on low, covered for 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes until most of the liquid is gone.
Preheat oven to 350°. Cut peppers in half lengthwise, removing seeds and stem.
Place peppers, cut side up in an oven-proof dish. (I used a 9x13). Fill each pepper with 1/2 cup turkey mixture. Pour about 1/3 cup water on the bottom of the dish. Cover tight with foil. Bake 45 minutes, or until the peppers become soft.
Remove foil, top each with cheese and bake uncovered an additional 5 minutes. Top with green onions and serve with reduced-fat sour cream if desired.

Avocado Chicken Salad
2 cups chicken, cooked and
shredded
1 avocado
Mayonnaise (just a little)
2-3 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons cilantro
Lime juice to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients. May be served as a sandwich or with crackers.

The COOK OF THE WEEK 3rd Edition Cookbook is available. Cost per copy is $10.70, plus $4.80 shipping/handling. Order a copy today by sending a check or money order, along with name and shipping address, to: Humboldt Independent, 512 Sumner Ave., Humboldt, IA 50548.